Coin-controlled mechanism for vending-machines and the like.



E. V. BODDY.

COIN CONTROLLED MECHANISM FOR VENDING MACHINES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED ram/2a, 1914 1 139 477 Patented May 18, 1915.

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E. V. BODDY.

COIN CONTROLLED MECHANISM FOR VENDING MACHINES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28. 1914.

1 1. 3,4?K Patented May 18, 1915.

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N van/kw THE NORRIS PETERS CO.,PHO1U-LITHO., WASHING TON, D. (:Y

I 'ewxz el E. V. BODDY.

COIN CONTROLLED MECHANISM FOR VENDING MACHINES AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 28, 1914.

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llmiju EDWARD V. BODDY, OF ARTESIA, NEl/V MEXICO.

COIN-CONTROLLED MECHANISM FOR VENDING-MACHINES AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 1915.

Application filed May 28, 1914. Serial No. 841,631.

To all whom it may concern 1 Be it known that I, EDWARD V. Bonny, a citizen of the United States, residing at Artesia, in the county of Eddy and State of New Mexico, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Controlled Mechanism for Vending-Machines and the like; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in vending machines and more particularly to those which are primarily designed for dispensing cards, envelops, periodicals and the like.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be simply and inexpensively constructed and which will effectually perform the functions for which it is designed.

In carrying out the above end, I provide a casing, feeding mechanism therein for dispensing the cards, operating means for said feeding mechanism, and coin tripped means for normally locking said operating means against movement.

A secondary object of the invention is to construct said coin tripped means in such a manner as to allow the coin to be readily discharged therefrom as the operating mechanism is actuated.

A further object of the invention is to construct the feeding mechanism of a single piece of wire formed into a coil and having one end contracted for the purpose of providing a support for said coil.

A still further object of the invention is to construct the entire device in the most simple manner consistent with its effective operation.

With these objects in view, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction and combination herein described and claimed and shown in the drawings wherein:-

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a vending machine constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the manner in which warning is given when the machine is empty; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the machine with the cover raised and showing more particularly the construction and positioning of the feeding coil; Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken along the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 showing the positioning of parts before a coin is inserted; Fig. 4 is a similar view' showing the manner in which the locking mechanism is released by the insertion of acoin; Fig. 5 is a view similar to Figs. 3 and 4 and illustrating more particularly the manner in which the coin receptacle is tilted by the actuation of said operating means; Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken along the plane of the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a detail vertical section taken on the line 77 of Fig. 3, showing more particularly the means for preventing retrograde movement of the operating shaft; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the coin receptacle; Fig. 9 is a detail vertical section showing the manner in which the feeding coil is supported upon its shaft; and Fig. 10 is an enlarged side elevation of the locking lever and coin receptacle thereon.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown but one unit of my improved vending machine, it being understood that the structure illustrated therein may be duplicated a number of times in the same machine, thus allowing the latter to be adaptable for the disposition of various articles.

Each unit comprises a rectangular casing 1 which is provided with a removable coin drawer 2 in its lower end, the upper portion 3 of the front 4 of said casing being preferably formed of a glass panel 5 behind which the article to be vended may be displayed. As most clearly seen in Figs. 1 and 8 the panel 5 is spaced outwardly from the lower section 6 of the front, thus providing a slot 7 which extends transversely across the device and through which the vended articles are discharged.

Seated within the lower portion of the casing 1, is a central bearing support 8 which carries, on its rear side, a bearing plate 9, the latter extending above said support 8 and forming a journal for a stub shaft 10, the latter carrying, on its outer end. a spur gear 11 while its inner end forms a rotatable support for the feeding coil 12 above mentioned. For the purpose of more rigidly supporting the shaft 10, I preferably extend its outer end beyond the gear 11 and revolubly mount the same in a suitable bearing carried by the rear side of the cas mg. I

The above mentioned feeding coil is formed of a single piece of wire bent to form the convolutions of said coil and hav when said laterally turned portion is sprung outwardly from its engagement with the notch 14:, the entire coil may be removed from the stub shaft, this becoming expedient in order that coils of various pitches may be applied since, as will be understood, a coil-whose convolutions are-closely spaced would not operate to advantage for :the purpose of supporting rather thick articles, it being understood that said articles, indicated at A, are disposed between the convolutions of the coil and, supported thereby.

From the parts so far described, it will be readily seen that since the forward end of the coil 12 projects over the slot 7, rotation of said coil will feed the articles A forwardly until they are dropped one by one through said slot.

As simple and eflicient means for rotating said coil, I have provided an operating shaft 15 which has its-forward end revolubly mounted through the lower portion of the front of the casing while its rear end is mounted in a suitable bearing 16 carried by the rear of the casing, its intermediate portion being further supported in an aperture formed in a laterally extending ear 17 the latter being carried by the bearing plate 9. The 'outerend of the shaft 15 is providedwith any suitable operating handle 18 by means of which said shaft may be rotated when a locking means, to be described, is released by the insertion of a coin. The motion thus imparted to said shaft 15 is transferred to the spur gear 11 through an idle gear 19 and a gear 19 carried by the shaft 15 therebyrotating the shafts 15 and 10 in the same direction. As most clearly seen in Fig. 7, retrograde movement on the part of the shaft 15 is prevented by a pawl and ratchet mechanism, the ratchet 20 thereof being carried by the shaft 15 while the pawl 21 is pivoted to the bearing plate 9 and normally pressed against said ratchet by means of a suitable spring.

By reference to the various figures of the drawings, it will be seen that the spur gear 19 and the ratchet 20 are spaced upon the shaft and that a radially extending arm 22 is interposed between the two, said arm having a portion which is passed through the shaft 15 and upset or riveted, thus causing said arm to rotate with the shaft. Since it becomes necessary for the ratchet 20 and the gear 19 to rotate simultaneously with the shaft 15 and the arm 22 and for the sake of obviating the use of unnecessary keys for the purpose of securing said gear and ratchet upon the shaft, I have provided a pair of fastening screws 23 which pass through the ratchet, on opposite sides of the arm 22 and enter said gear 19. Thus it will be seen that any motion on the part of the gear and ratchet is prevented unless said arm is allowed to rotate. The arm 22 is not only provided for the purpose of locking the gear 19 and the ratchet 20 against rotation in respect to the shaft 15, but constitutes a portion of a coin tripped latch mechanism for preventing rotation of said shaft 15 and thereby the rotation of the coil 12. For thispurpose, the arm proj ects a considerable distance beyond the periphery of the ratchet wheel 20 and is provided. with a forwardly extending stud 24: the latter being adapted to engage the rear end 25 of a latch lever 26, the latterbeing' pivoted intermediate its ends as indicated at 27 and having its forwardportion reduced as indicated at 28 for the purpose of lightening this end of the lever inorder that the rear end thereof may fall by grav ity into the path of the stud 24, said lever having its pivot disposed nearer to itsfront end than to=its rear end to assist its movement as aboveset forth. Said reduced portion 28 of the lever 26 is provided, on its extreme front end, with a bearing stud 29 which is provided at its inner and outer ends with stop collars30 and 31 respec- -tively.

Pivotally swung beneath the lever 26 and beneath an appropriate coin chute 32, is a coin receiving member or receptacle 33, the

latter being here shown as formed of a single piece of wire bent to form a horizontal ring 34c into which the coin isadapted to drop. The wire extends upwardly and forwardly after forming said ring andis given a number of coils around the stud 29 as indicated at 35, its free end-extending v laterally asindicated-at 36 and constituting "a trip arm by means of which the ring 34 may be tilted for the purpose of discharging a coin therefrom.- V

For the: purpose oftilting said ring 3 1 at the proper time, I have provided the shaft 7 15 with a radially extending trip arm 37 which, like the arm '22, has a longitudinally extending stud 38, said stud-beingeadapted to engage the under side of said trip arm 36, as the shaft 15 is rotated, thereby tilting the same as clearly illustrated in Figs. 5

'and 6. It may here be explained that the weight of therear end of-thelevern26 is greater than the combined weights of the 1 forward end thereof and the receptacle 33 andthe downward movement of said rear end is limite'd by a suitable stop 39 which is preferably carried'by the bearing support. Thus it will beseen that the loop orv ring 34 is at all. times correctly positioned beneath the chute 32 and that when a coin is inserted in said chute, the weight thereof will overbalance the rear end of the lever 26 thus allowing the same to rise out of the path of the stud 24:, this allowing the shaft 15 to be rotated by its handle 18 throughout one revolution. During this revolution of the shaft 15, the feeding coil 12 is rotated one revolution through the before described gearing and one article is forced forwardly by said coil and allowed to fall through the slot 7. This rotation of the shaft 15 also causes the trip stud 38 to contact with the trip arm 36 to tilt the ring 3a, thereby discharging the coin into the drawer 2, and again allowing the rear end of the lever 26 to drop into the path of the stud 24 thereby preventing further rotation of the above mentioned parts.

It will thus be seen that the insertion of a coin trips the locking means and allows the operating means to be actuated and that the movement of said operating means actuates the feed mechanism and also tilts the coin receptacle allowing the parts to again be locked at the end of a revolution.

The above described operation may be repeated successively until all of the cards have been discharged from the machine, at which time a card or plate 40 bearing the word empty will fall through the slot 7 the downward movement of said card being limited by a pair of rearwardly extending stops etl which contact with the upper edge of the lower half of the front of the casing.

From the foregoing description, taken'in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that I have produced a comparatively simple device for carrying out the objects of the invention and one which may be inexpensively manufactured.

I have described my invention with considerable minuteness but I do not wish to be limited to details of construction other than those amplified in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a device of the character described, an operating shaft, a radially extending locking arm on said shaft and having an inwardly extending stud at its free end, a trip arm likewise extending radially from said shaft, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends beneath said shaft and having one of its ends overbalanced and located in the rotary path of said stud, a stop for preventing excessive downward movement of said overbalanced end of the lever, a pivot stud formed on the opposite end of said lever, a substantially upright Wire having its intermediate portion formed into a pivot coil surrounding said pivot stud, the upper end of said wire constituting a trip arm and being located in the rotary path of the trip arm on said shaft, and a coin receiving ring formed integrally with the lower end of said wire and designed to receive a coin whereby to raise the overbalanced end of said lever out of the path of the first mentioned stud.

2. In a device of the character described, an operating shaft, locking means therefor, a depressible lever for releasing said locking means, said lever being located beneath the shaft and having one end provided with a pivot stud, a substantially upright wire arm having its intermediate portion loosely coiled around said stud, the lower end of said arm being bent to form a horizontal coin receiving ring, a coin chute above said ring, and a trip arm on the shaft and designed to contact with the upper end of said substantially upright wire arm when said shaft is rotated.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

EDWARD V. BODDY. Witnesses:

H. Ansrnv S'rnonr, MINNIE B. DRAKE.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

